An NCAA Initial Eligibility Trifecta

The last three episodes on my YouTube channel contain some VERY important information… actually some of the MOST important information regarding the Collegiate recruiting process… a Trifecta

The episodes discuss gaining Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DI, NCAA DII and NAIA levels.

It isn’t glamorous, or fun.

Learning how to increase your vertical leap or improving your speed is much more interesting… I know.

But if you are not familiar with, and do not keep on top of this (Initial Eligibility) information, you are putting your whole recruiting dreams at risk.

How to use the Recruiting Worksheet.

This post will follow along with, and supplement the information included in Episode 18 – Homework Assignment… so you can access that video and follow along there as well.

The first step is to download the Worksheet.  It is a Google Sheet, and can be downloaded via Episode 18 – Homework Assignment, or at this link:

Recruiting Worksheet

This will open up the Google Sheet titled Recruiting Worksheet.

In order to use/ edit the worksheet, the first thing you need to do is “make a copy”

To do this, click on –> File-> Make a copy

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Then give it a name (or just keep it Copy of Recruiting Worksheet) and select where you want to save it, the click –> OK

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Now you have a worksheet that is yours to keep… one you can fill in, complete and use to gauge where you are in the recruiting process.

A few words about what this worksheet IS and what it is NOT.

It is intended to give you a snapshot of where you are in the collegiate recruiting process right now… It is NOT a prediction of if, or at what level, you are going to get recruited.  It is designed to help guide you through a self evaluation segment, and guide you in regards to your Initial Eligibility status.

OK… Here we go in filling out and using this tool.

First… every field that is yellow is where you will be entering your information.

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The first question – What is your “Dream” school?

If you could get recruited, get a scholarship, and attend ANY college in the country, where would it be?  Type your answer in here:

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In the next section you will be evaluating yourself on the 9 different qualities that college recruiters will be looking at… I have called these “Purple Cow” qualities (you want to be like a Purple Cow… remarkable… not a brown cow… ordinary).

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If you are not sure what recruiters will be looking for in these areas, or want to better understand what will make you remarkable, you can click on any of these links to episodes on my YouTube channel where I discuss these qualities.

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The complete playlist of my YouTube channel is at this link:

YouCanDoMore YouTube all episodes

You will rate yourself 1-5 (1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest) in each of these areas… typing in your rating in the corresponding yellow cell.

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A couple of things to keep in mind as you are rating yourself on these “Purple Cow” qualities:

  • Remember you are competing against student-athletes all across the country for scholarship aid… not just against athletes in your school, city, and state… so rate yourself accordingly
  • This is a rating on where you are right now… not where you want to be or think you will be at the end of this process

The worksheet will calculate an average rating, but more importantly, it will point out areas that you are strong in, as well as areas you might need to put some additional work and effort into.

The next section will help you determine where you are regarding the NCAA DI and DII Initial Eligibility process.

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The first thing the worksheet asks for (and will help you find) are how many Core Courses (and in what areas) you have taken.  If you do not have a list of your High School’s Core Courses, you can click on this link in the worksheet and it will take you a search engine that allows you to search by your school state and name.

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This is site that will allow you to search for your high school Core Core list.  You can also click on this link : Core Course Search Engine to see this site:

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Once you have your school’s list of Core Courses, you will enter the number of units you have taken in each area, English, Math (Algebra 1 or above) Science, Social Science and Other, in the corresponding yellow cell.  One year of a course equals 1 unit, One semester equals .5 units

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The worksheet will automatically calculate the total number of Core Units you have taken and display the number here.

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Keep in mind that in order to meet NCAA DI initial eligibility standards, you will need to earn 16 Core Course Units.  The breakdown of the number of units needed in each area can be found at this link:  NCAA DI Standards

In NCAA DII you will also need 16 Core Units, although the distribution of units in each area is slightly different.  The DII breakdown can be found at this link: NCAA DII Standards

Next, the worksheet will help you calculate your Core GPA… which is the only GPA that the NCAA uses… not overall GPA which includes non-Core Courses.

You will enter the grades you received in your Core Courses here…. entering the number of A’s B’s C’s and D’s in each of the corresponding yellow cells.

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Remember these two things

  1. The NCAA does not use + or – grades in determining GPA
  2. The grade for a year-long course is 1 unit, for a semester class it is .5 unit

The worksheet will calculate your Core GPA based on the number of Core Course units you have taken, and the grades (quality points) you earned in each of those courses.  Your Core GPA will be displayed here:

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The next factor determining Initial Eligibility is your score on either the ACT or SAT standardized test.

On the worksheet answer the question if you have taken either test, and if you have, enter your score in the corresponding yellow cell.

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If you have not taken the ACT or SAT tests, clicking on the worksheet link will take you to this site that lists the national testing dates for the ACT and SAT in 2018-19.

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You can also get to the site by clicking this link: ACT/SAT test dates

Determine a date you will take (or retake) the test and enter the date in the corresponding yellow cell

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Enter the date!  This is like making a contract with yourself and will increase the likelihood that you will take the test in a timely manner.

Now, using the NCAA DI and DII sliding scales you can determine what test score (or Core GPA with your current test score) you will need in order to meet NCAA Initial Eligibility standards.

Clicking on the worksheet link that says “NCAA DI Sliding Scale”

 

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Will take you to the sliding scale used by the NCAA to determine you eligibility

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By using the Core GPA that has already been calculated by the worksheet

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And cross-referencing that value on the sliding scale, you can determine what test score (ACT or SAT) you will need to achieve to gain Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DI level.

Episode 16 – Your Academics – Part 1 – Explains how to use the NCAA DI and DII sliding scales.

Enter the test score you need (based on your Core GPA) in the corresponding yellow cell.

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The process for figuring out the test score you will need at the NCAA DII level is identical.  Clicking on the worksheet link that says “NCAA DII Sliding Scale”

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Will take you to the sliding scale used by the NCAA to determine your DII eligibility.

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By using the Core GPA that has already been calculated by the worksheet

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And cross-referencing that value on the sliding scale, you can determine what test score (ACT or SAT) you will need to achieve to gain Initial Eligibility at the NCAA DII level.

Enter the test score you need (based on your Core GPA) in the corresponding yellow cell.

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You can now see exactly where you are in regards to your Initial Eligibility at both the NCAA DI and DII levels… and determine if you …

  • Are Eligible at the NCAA DI and DII levels
  • Need more Core Courses in order to be eligible
  • Need Core Courses in a different area to be eligible
  • Need a higher Core GPA to be eligible
  • Need a higher ACT or SAT test to be eligible
  • Or need a combination of these items to be eligible

The next section of the worksheet looks at the process of registering for either (or both) the NCAA or NAIA Eligibility Centers.

Answer the question on the worksheet “Have you registered with the NCAA or NAIA Eligibility Centers?”

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If you have NOT registered with the Eligibility Centers, clicking on the worksheet link “NCAA Center”

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Will take you to the registration page for the NCAA Eligibility Center

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And click on the worksheet link “NAIA Center”

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Will take you to the Play NAIA site, which is the registration page for the NAIA Eligibility Center

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You can also navigate the the Eligibility Centers by clicking on these links below:

Well, thats it!

A lot of information, clicking, calculating, evaluating…. I know!

But information that will help put you in the drivers seat when it comes to your (or you son or daughter) recruiting.

If you have any questions on how to download, save, navigate or use this worksheet in any way, please give me a shout… I will help!

As always, thanks for your support!

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Recruiting Seminar Thanks

Thanks to all who attended and helped at today’s recruiting seminar, Level the Playing Field, held this morning at William Chrisman High School.

As I mentioned, most of the information can be found on this site via this link:

Recruiting Links

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded from this linkL

Level the Playing Field

It is just the slides from the presentation, without any of my comments or external links, but it will give you much of the information (like questions to ask your recruiting coach, and questions to expect from a coach on an initial visit)

If you don’t have access to PowerPoint (or don’t like using it), I converted the presentation to this movie below.  Again, there are no outside links (although the embedded video does play) or comments from me, but you can navigate (push play/pause) to get information from the slides.

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

If any coaches are interested in bringing this presentation to their schools, give me a shout and I can give you some more information about it.  At William Chrisman it was presented to all student-athletes and their parents.

The seminar, Level the Playing Field is designed to empower students, coaches, and parents in regards to the recruiting process.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It! 

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

College Entrance Exams – ACT/ SAT

When college recruiters come through the door of your high school, either physically, or virtually, they will have with them a checklist.  It may be an actual document they are using to check off your attributes, or it may just be a “checklist” they have in their brain.  It will include many of the qualities that we have already talked about (links provided):

If any of these “checkmarks” are missing, you are making yourself LESS marketable – that includes your initial eligibility status.  If a college recruiter has several athletes on their list that are all equally good players physically, then the player that has already taken, and has scored a qualifying score on the standardized test has a jump on the competition.  The recruiter knows, without question, they can proceed recruiting this student-athlete without fear of a bad surprise down the road.

One of the very first stops the college coach will make after visiting with your high school coach and evaluating film will be either checking your status with the NCAA Clearinghouse or NAIA Clearinghouse, or actually making a trip to your guidance counselors office to check on your initial eligibility.  One piece that determines your initial eligibility is your test score on either the ACT or SAT college placement test.

ACT_logoIn order to determine your eligibility your freshman year in a NCAA Division I school, the NCAA uses “sliding scale” that takes into account both your Core GPA (minimum 16 units) and your test score.  Basically, the higher Core GPA you have, the lower a test score you could have (and visa versa) and still be eligible.  The entire sliding scale can be found here: Divisions I and II Initial-Eligibility Requirements which is at the NCAA Clearinghouse site.

For example, if your Core GPA is 3.55 or above, you could have an ACT Sum (adding your Reading, English, Math and Science sub scores) of 37 or a SAT score of 400 and still be eligible.  If your Core GPA was a 2.5, your ACT Sum would have to be a 68 or SAT score of 820 in order to be eligible your Freshman year.  Beginning in August 2016, a different sliding scale will be used in Division I schools that will have two scales – one to determine aid and practice eligibility, and one to determine initial eligibility for competition.

For NCAA Division II schools, there is no sliding scale. In order to be eligible, you must have a minimum ACT Sum score of 68, or an SAT score of 820.  This is in addition to having a minimum GPA of 2.0 in at least 16 Core courses.

For initial eligibility in a NAIA school, you must have a minimum  composite score of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT.

In addition to eligibility, for many student-athletes, a good test score can have additional positive results.  Many, if not most, FCS, NCAA Division II, and NAIA schools will have academic scholarship levels that will be based on, among other things, your ACT or SAT test scores.  These academic scholarships often range from $500 up to a full tuition award.  Also, remember athletic scholarships below the FBS level are often divided up into partial awards (see my previous post on Expanding the Pool).  So it is quite conceivable that if you score well on your college entrance exam, that this academic aid could be added to a partial athletic award, thereby increasing your total aid package!

I recommend that athletes take the college entrance exam early, and often.  There is no penalty for taking it more than one time – your best score will be used.  From my experience, most students score better after their initial test, for a number of reasons.  Students often get more comfortable with the test and testing environment, and often you will have taken additional course work that will help you in sections of the exam.  The only drawback is the cost of taking the test more than once.  Also, If you take the test early and see you need additional help, such as an ACT/ SAT prep course (many high schools and communities offer these) then you have time to do that before your clock starts counting down.

What is “early”? – I would say after your sophomore year if possible, and at the latest after your junior year.  I also recommend that you do not take the test on a Saturday that falls in your competitive season. Here is a schedule of the 2013 testing dates and deadlines:

Next up… what is the Clearinghouse (NCAA and NAIA) and Core courses.

In addition to these written posts, I have recently launched my YouTube Channel that deals specifically with the recruiting process.  The channel can be found here : The YouCanDoMore YouTube Channel, and the complete playlist can be viewed here.

 

Any questions?  Email or Comment!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com